Insurance News

New research from Churchill Car Insurance reveals that nearly 12 million (31 per cent) drivers have parked in spaces where they are not eligible to park, in the last 12 months. The most common prohibited places people park are on double yellow (eight per cent) and single yellow lines (seven per cent).more

Looking for a new way to spread the cost of your home contents and buildings insurance? Pay As You Go home insurance, a new and unique product for Fair Investment Company, could be a useful way to add flexibility and simplicity to your home insurance payments. more

Pet insurance essential, says Direct Line

07 October 2005

Astronomical vet bills are forcing thousands of owners to have their pets put down, according to new research from Direct Line Pet Insurance.

Of the pet owners surveyed by the insurance company, over a fifth of dog owners said that they would be forced to have their dog put down if they could not afford the treatment.

A spokesperson for Direct Line Pet Insurance said: "With no NHS for animals, dog owners make great financial sacrifices to protect the health of their pets.

"As vets rarely display prices, many dog owners don't know the full cost of treatment until after it has been carried out, which can cause real problems, particularly for more than 85 per cent of pet owners who are not insured."

According to the survey British dog owners spend over £800 million on medical care for their animals every year, with the average cost of treatment reaching £154.

Fifteen per cent of people have raided their life savings in order to care for their sick dog and a six per cent have got into financial difficulty by borrowing money to pay for treatment.

Direct Line pet insurance starts at £5 a month for cats and £7 a month for dogs.